Tube-expander



(No Mode-l.)

' C. W. UMHOLTZ.

TUBE 'EXPANDEIL Patenfd June 19, 1894.

" NITED STATES V`PATENT (,)iiiaiczauI CHARLES W. UMHOLTZ, OF BRISTOL,VIRGINIA;

TUBE-EXPANDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,742, dated J' une19, 1894.

Application filed September 21, 1893. Serial No. 486,099. (No model.) t

To all whom t may concern:

1`3e it known that I, CHARLES W. UMHOLTZ, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bristol, 1n the county of VWashington and State ofVirginia, haveiuvented a new and useful Tube-Expander, of which thefollowing is a speclfication. o

This invention relates to tube expanders; and 1t has for its object toprovide certain improvements in devices of this character which areemployed for` expanding the ends of boiler-tubes in the tube-sheets.

To this end the main and primary object of the present inventionis toconstruct a tubelexpander of as few parts as possible Withoutsacrificing the efficiency of the device.

Wlth these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as thenaturel of the inventlonls better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination,

and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, andclaimed. i

In the drawings:v Figure 1 is a perspective vleW of the tube-expanderconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical longitudinal'sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is across-section on the llne--x of Fig. 2. 'FigA is adetail elevation ofthe adjustable stop-collar or ring. Fig. 5

isa detail plan view of the expander stock androllei` cage or hub at oneend. thereof.

Like letters of reference indicate corre- .sponding parts in allthefgures of the drawings.I

Referring to the drawings, Arrepresents the tubular stock or body of theexpander, exteriorlythreaded at one end, as at a, and terminatlng at itsother end in a roller-hub B, in whlch are cut a series of longitudinallydisposed bearing slots or openings C. The

n. longitudinally-disposed bearing slots or openings C, in the hub-endof the stock or body A, are disposed at a slight angle or twist to thelongitudinal center of the hub for the purpose to be presently noted,and are adapted to loosely receive the tapered swaging rollers D.Theswaging rollers D, which are mounted 1n the slots or openings C ofthe stock or body, are adapted to be radially adjusted within theslots'or openings, and are provided in their outer ends with thecircular bearingrecesses E, having beveled edges e, and which y areadapted to receive the inner pointed ends f of the retaining set-screwsF. The retaining set-screws F are mounted in the threaded openings fformed in one end of the tubularA body, and are adapted to be set so asto have their inner ends project into the roller slots or openings inorder to enter or extend into the circular bearing-recesses in one endof each of the swaging rollers D, thereby providing simple and efficientmeans for holding the said rollers in position within the tubular stockor body, while at the same time permitting the free 'turning and radialadjustment thereof, as Well as their removal, for the purpose of repairor replacement.

" The inner ends of the swaging rollers D are squared off so as topermit the ready radial adjustment of such rollers by means of theordinary tapered expander mandrel G. The mandrel G is of the ordinaryconstruction and sufficiently tapered so that, by the insertion thereofwithin the tubular stock or body of the expander, the-several swagingrollers will be moved out radially against the inner` sides of theboiler tube and maybe turned in contact therewith, whereby such tuboWill be expanded onto the tube-sheet in which the same is inserted, andsaid tapering mandrel G is provided at its outer end with anoperating-head g, in which are formed the holes` g', adapted to receivethe usual twisting-rod, which is employed for turning the mandrel on itslongitudinal axis, after the same has been inserted Within the tubularstock.

The exteriorly-threaded end of the tubularb stock or body A is adaptedto adj ustablyre# ceive the interiorly-threaded adjustable stopcollar H.The adjustable stop-collar H engages the exterior threads -of thetubular stock or body, and is provided at itsy inner end with astop-flange I, in the inner face of which are formed a series ofsemi-circular.`

ICQ

or ring II according to the projection of the boiler tube from thetube-sheet, the same is held stationary in its adjusted position bymeans of the set-screw J, en gagiug a threaded openingj, formed in oneside thereof, and adapted to be projected into the lockinggroove K,formed in the stock 0r body A.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and operation ofthe herein described tube expander will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art. It will be observed that the stop collar H, can beadjusted to adapt the tube expander lfor insertion in the ends of theboiler tube irrespective of the distance the tube projects beyond thesheet, and it is to be also noted that the roller slots or openings C,are arranged to have their longitudinal centers disposed at an angle tothe longitudinal central line of the hub B, whereby the tapered swagingrollers shall be so arranged as to provide for readily drawing theexpander into the tube by turning the mandrel in one direction and forthe easy Withdrawal thereof by turning the mandrel in the oppositedirection. It is to be understood that the rollers D, Work sufficientlyloosely in the slots or openings C, so that the same will readily adjustthemselves against either the parallel or obliquely disposed sides ofthe slots or openings according to the direction in which the mandrel isturned, Whereby the proper operation of the expander will be secured. Itis to be further noted at this point that the mandrel is taperedreversely to the taper of the rollers and in a proper relation theretowhereby the said rollers, when adjusted outwardly and also when disposedwithin the slots or openings with their longitudinal centers or axesdisposed at an angle to the axis of the hub, Will have their outercontacting surfaces or portions disposed parallel with the tube toprovide for expanding the same parallel with the hole or perforation inthe tube sheet.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, the disposition of the slots C, is clearlyshown, it being illustrated that While one side or edge of the slots isparallel With the longitudinal center of the hub B,` the opposite sideof such slots is disposed at an angle to said longitudinal center, andthereby causes the central longitudinal line of the slots to be obliqueor disposed at an an le to the longitudinal center of the hub. y reasonof thus positioning the roller slots and therefore necessarily therollers D which work therein, it will further be understood that whenthe mandrel is turned in one direction in the expander, the swagingrollers will draw the tube tight against the collar, while a reverseturn of the mandrel will loosen up the rollers and provide for the easyremoval of the expander, and it will of course be understood. that theoblique disposition of the rollers provides means whereby the same tendto draw themselves into the tube until the collar strikes the end ofthetube and prevents further insertion.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacricing anyof the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. In a tube expander, the combination ot the tubular stock or bodyhaving a series of slots or openings nearV one end, one side of saidslots or openings being disposed parallel with the longitudinal bore of:the stock or body, and the other side ot said slots or openings beingdisposed at an angle to the .longitudinal bore of the stock or body todispose the central longitudinal line of said slots or openings at anangle to the longitudinal center of the stock or body, the stop collarmounted adjustably on the stoclt or body, the tapered rollers mounted insaid slots or openings and having one end received Within` one end ofsaid collar, and the tapered mandrel, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tube-expander, the combination of an exteriorlythreaded stockhaving a series of slots or openings near one end, a series ofradially-adjustable swaging rollers loosely mounted in said slots oropenings, an adjustable stop-collar engaging the threads of said stockand having atits inner end a stopflange provided with a series ofsemi-circular bearing sockets or notches and adapted to receive one endof said rollers, and the tapered mandrel, substantially as set forth.V

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. UMI-IOLTZ.

lvitnesses:

J oHN A. FERG, ALFRED W. UMnoL'ra ICO

